The lives and stories of Oregon State University

Andrew Meigs was recently named 2013 Fellow of the Geological Society of America. Fellows of the GSA are honored for their distinguished contributions to the geosciences. Meigs is recognized for his research on the interplay of rock uplift, erosion, and climate change, started well before this research was identified as a transformative science. He is also honored for service to the geological community.

Over the past 15 years at OSU, Meigs has developed a research program in active tectonics, with three fields of focus:

- Active mountain building, with investigations in California, Oregon, Alaska, and the Himalaya.

- North American plate deformation in the Coast Range and Basin and Range in response to subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate.

Teaching and mentoring are an integral part of his research. Graduate and undergraduate students have participated with Meigs in many research projects. To help foster community, Meigs developed and leads the two-week intensive field experience for mid-level majors in eastern California.

His courses in earthquake geology at OSU include: Introduction to Field Geology, Structural Geology, Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, Geology of Earthquakes, Field Geology, Structural and Neotectonic Field Methods, Tectonic Geomorphology, and Topics in Tectonics.

Meigs received a BA in Geology from Macalester College (1985),an MS in Geology from University of Alaska, Fairbanks (1990), and a PhD in Earth Sciences from University of Southern California (1995). After a postdoctoral position at California Institute of Technology, Meigs came to OSU in 1998.